Willow Glen Resident

News

Photograph by Alicia Upano

Fearless Four: Willow Glen Neighborhood Association board members (from left) Ellen Santomauro, Margaret Hardy, Helen Solinski and Carol Rossebo will all step down this June.

Four women have given much to neighborhood association

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

Four Willow Glen women who have dedicated a large portion of their lives to the Willow Glen Neighborhood Association are stepping down. Helen Solinski, Margaret Hardy, Ellen Santomauro and Carol Rossebo leave big shoes to fill.

"I will miss being involved and being part of an amazing team and helping our members and the community," said Solinski, who has served on the board for 10 years. "I'm not the type of person to sit back and watch things happen. I feel very protective of our little community in Willow Glen."

Solinski's involvement with the association began with the purchase of her first home on Radio Avenue.

"I had a few neighborhood problems, and I contacted the association and they helped me out," Solinski said. "I was so impressed with Kris Cunningham and the organization that I joined in 1996."

Her most cherished memory was the lavish 75th anniversary celebration of Founder's Day in 2002.

"It was like planning the biggest wedding of my life," Solinski said. "But I really enjoy doing stuff like that. I will miss being an activist."

Along with working for the Myelin Repair Foundation and spending more time with her 2-year-old son, Solinski said she would still volunteer when needed.

Margaret Hardy, who alternated between treasurer and secretary, is also a longtime association member. She has belonged to the association since the 1970s.

"I joined to keep an eye on what was going on at Cherry Avenue," Hardy said.

The most standout moment in her years with the association was Founder's Day.

"The association rescued the event from obscurity with the 75th anniversary celebration," Hardy said. "It was a terrific event--a great time but exhausting."

She said along with all the hard work, there was much to gain.

"Getting to know the value of your community and what a loss it would be if we are not alert on the decisions made for the area was really important to me," Hardy said. "I will miss the camaraderie of the group, working with a team and sharing a vision."

Hardy plans to transfer her energy into more hours with Habitat for Humanity.

The association's first vice president and eList administrator Ellen Santomauro will step down but continue to help with the eList.

She has been part of the association for four years and, like Hardy and Solinski, became involved when she needed help with her neighborhood.

"I was interested in neighborhood issues and wanted to learn more about the community and how it all worked," Santomauro said.

Santomauro wants to redirect her community involved back into the schools.

"My time with the association has been a very rewarding experience. I would recommend it to any neighbor that feels like they want a say in what goes on in our community," Santomauro said.

The outgoing secretary, Carol Rossebo, has served on the board for two years.

She lived across the street from Santomauro, who introduced her to Solinski. For Rossebo, getting to know the other board members was her highlight.

"It's something that I actually really believe in and with some changes in the future, maybe I will be able to come back to the board," Rossebo said. "I look at this as more of a break from board duties, not necessarily retirement."